KATH doctors embark on strike …Demand urgent health infrastructure reforms 

Doctors at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) have embarked on an indefinite strike action effective Saturday, June 6, 2026.

The action is in protest against the suspension of the CEO of KATH as directed by the Minister of Health.

It also follows growing concerns over severe congestion at the hospital’s Emergency Department and what doctors say are longstanding systemic challenges affecting patient care.

The doctors are also using the industrial action to draw attention to what they described as a worsening healthcare infrastructure crisis in the Ashanti Region and beyond.

The Medical practitioners have cited overcrowding, delayed hospital projects and inadequate capacity as key drivers of industrial action

In a resolution signed by Dr. Michael Leat, chairman of Komfo Anokye Doctors Association (KADA) and issued on June 5, 2026 after an emergency meeting, the doctors argued that the difficulties confronting the hospital extend far beyond the recent suspension of the facility’s Chief Executive Officer.

According to the association, KATH has been operating under immense pressure as the main tertiary referral centre serving the middle and northern belts of Ghana, with patient numbers continuing to outpace available infrastructure, equipment and personnel.

The doctors contend that recent measures introduced by hospital management to manage overcrowding, including the temporary suspension of new emergency admissions and coordination with nearby health facilities, were necessitated by concerns over patient safety and capacity limitations.

KADA maintains that the situation underscores the urgent need for government intervention to expand healthcare infrastructure and strengthen referral systems rather than focusing solely on administrative sanctions.

Among the association’s key demands is a clear timeline for the operationalisation of the Sewua Hospital and the Afari Military Hospital, projects that doctors believe could significantly reduce the patient burden on KATH.

The doctors also called for accelerated retooling of KATH and other health facilities across the Ashanti Region to improve service delivery and enhance emergency response capacity.

While the review of the CEO’s suspension remains one of the association’s demands, KADA insists that addressing the underlying causes of congestion and resource constraints is critical to preventing future crises.

The association warned that without strategic investments in infrastructure and healthcare capacity, referral hospitals across the country could face similar challenges, potentially compromising patient safety and quality of care.

The strike is expected to continue until authorities respond to the concerns raised by the doctors and provide concrete commitments on the issues outlined by the association.

 

 

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